A PDU (Professional Development Unit) is the unit of credit used by the Project Management Institute® (PMI) to measure continuing education and professional development activities for holders of PMI certifications (such as the PMP®, PMI-ACP®, PgMP® and others). Earning and reporting PDUs is required to maintain PMI certifications through the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program.
So, acronyms aside, how do you earn PDUs?
1 PDU is equal to 1 hour of activity or learning. Most PMI certifications require earning a set number of PDUs over a 3-year cycle. For example, the PMP requires 60 PDUs over a 3-year period.
PDUs are earned in specific categories grouped under two main areas:
- Education: Activities that develop knowledge, skills and behaviors. This is typically through formal courses, webinars, self-directed learning, etc.
- Giving Back to the Profession: Activities that share knowledge and help the profession. This can be volunteering, creating content, presenting, working as a practitioner, etc.
Education vs. Giving Back – Key Details to Note
Education typically counts toward the majority of required PDUs. These are subdivided into the PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of Working, Power Skills and Business Acumen.
For most certifications, a minimum number of PDUs must be earned across these three skill areas.
Giving Back – Examples include volunteering for the PMI, creating presentations or articles, mentoring or working as a project professional (some certifications allow limited PDUs for on-the-job experience).
It’s important to note that there is usually a cap on how many PDUs in this area can count toward renewal, so you can’t rely solely on Giving Back.
Common Ways to Earn PDUs
The most common way to accrue PDUs is through a mix of the following:
- Classroom or virtual courses such as the Ten Six courses
- PMI events, chapter meetings and conferences
- Webinars
- Self-directed learning: reading books, articles, whitepapers or watching videos
- Authoring articles, whitepapers or books
- Delivering presentations or workshops
- Volunteering for PMI or non-profit project activities
- Mentoring project managers or serving as an exam item writer
Once you’ve earned PDUs, you will need to report them to the PMI. To do this, simply log in to your PMI account and record PDUs in the Continuing Certification Renewal System (CCRS).
- Provide required details: activity title, provider, dates, hours and category.
- Retain documentation (certificates, attendance records, etc.) for verification for a specified period.
Tips for Earning and Managing PDUs
It’s a good idea to plan early in the three-year cycle so you can spread learning across the PMI Talent Triangle and time. Most folks use a mix of education and giving-back activities to meet requirements and gain broad professional value.
You should track activities continuously, saving certificates and proof of learning immediately.
One tip is to convert multi-day conferences and workshops into multiple PDUs by session length.
Example: Using the PMP Renewal Requirement
- Total required: 60 PDUs over three years.
- Education: Minimum across Ways of Working, Power Skills and Business Acumen (e.g., at least some PDUs in each triangle area).
- Giving Back: Up to a defined maximum of 25 PDUs – you should check PMI policies for exact caps and current rules. The PMI’s official Continuing Certification Requirements and the CCR Handbook layout the exact PDU requirements, allowable activities, limits and the current renewal process.
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